US President Donald Trump doubled down on his calls to readmit Russia to the Group of Seven (G-7), arguing it would give him an opportunity to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"You know we spent probably 25% of our time talking about Russia. And I said to myself 'wouldn’t it be better if they were here'," Trump said during an interview with Fox News.
"Now, I’m not for Russia. I’m for the United States," Trump stressed. "But, as an example, if Vladimir Putin were sitting next to me at a table instead of one of the others.'"
"If he were at that meeting, I could ask him to do things that are good for the world, that are good for our country that are good for him," the Hill cited the US president as saying.
Trump first expressed support for Russia's readmission into the group before leaving for last weekend's G-7 summit in Canada. Italy's new prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, backed Trump's position, saying the move would be "in everyone's interest."
Trump: If Russia were in G7 I could ask Putin 'to do things that are good for the world'
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